The Advantages of Offshore & Nearshore Software Development

Dean Beard • 4 years ago

Creating a product or application in today’s world means you have many options available to you. You could hire a developer and have an in-house team, or you could look for an individual freelancer. More likely, you’ll end up looking for a software development company to help. This is where offshore and nearshore software developers come into the mix. 

Why are more and more startups moving to offshore and nearshore software developments? 

Understanding Offshore & Nearshore Software Development

“Offshore” has been a popular term and practice for several years, and it’s no different in software development. Offshore development is using developers located in another country or overseas from your location. These developers could be found as far away as Eastern Europe or Asia, which can create a hurdle with the time zone difference. Offshore developers have been known to offer lower fees in some of these countries, but we urge you not to make a decision based on that alone. By focusing on the cost of hiring a software developer, it could mean sacrificing expertise and quality in some cases. 

Nearshore software developers are similar to their offshore counterparts — they’re just closer to you and may only involve a long drive or a short flight. They sound nearly the same, but the significant benefit to notice here is that time zones and cultural practices will be similar. 

The Advantages of Using Offshore & Nearshore Software Developers

Ultimately, both nearshore and offshore software development have similar benefits for companies. The main advantage for startups is being able to draw from a larger talent pool globally, rather than being limited to your immediate area. There’s a significant demand everywhere for tech solutions and development and not enough talent in the US to fill these needs. Looking globally for a software development company is the only answer and, luckily, one with many benefits. In recent years, collaboration technology has improved immensely which increases the efficiency of remote teams despite working from different countries and time zones. 

There are significant benefits of offshore and nearshore software developers:

  • You have access to a global talent pool as well as an entire team of experts in a variety of areas.
  • You don’t have to hire in house.
  • You can quickly scale your business or product.
  • You avail yourself of those with experience in application development and software development.
  • It’s cost-effective. 

Many countries with a negative reputation in the past, such as India, have improved in the product development sector. These locations have noticed the growing trend and demand for quality communication and partnership, as opposed to the prior interest in merely finding a lower price point. This has forced offshore and nearshore software developers to offer high-quality product development solutions.

Startups face one massive hurdle: lack of funds. Nearly 40% of startups fail due to this lack of funds. Almost half of the funds a startup will require, go to building and launching an MVP. Offshore and nearshore software developers offer a chance for startups to keep those beginning costs lower without sacrificing quality. In fact, remote product development can reduce these development costs by as much as 50%.
If you’re a startup looking for an offshore software development partner, find a company that has many locations globally. At IntuitioLabs, we have locations in Dallas and Atlanta in the United States, Bournemouth in England, and Hyderabad and Kochi in India. These multiple locations mean more flexibility for you to find a solution that fits your time zone. Get in touch with us today to partner with a software developer you can trust to create the perfect product.